- Bitcoin Core developers have patched a disk fill bug that has affected full node operators since 2020.
- The vulnerability allowed attackers to overload node hard drives with unnecessary data, risking system crashes and degraded storage.
- Senior developer Gloria Zhao merged the fix into the master branch after passing all checks and receiving no objections from colleagues.
- The fix is expected to roll out widely in the next Bitcoin Core release; users must update manually as automatic upgrades are not supported.
- Currently, about 16% of nodes run the latest 29.0 version, while others remain on older versions.
Bitcoin Core developers have successfully implemented a fix for a bug known as the “disk fill attack,” which has targeted full node operators since 2020. This vulnerability allowed attackers to use specific commands to flood node hard drives with excessive data, threatening both machine stability and storage integrity.
Attackers exploited logging commands—such as LogPrintf, LogInfo, LogWarning, and LogError—to force computers to write unnecessary information onto their hard drives. This constant data logging could overwhelm devices, especially those using older, mechanical hard drives, and lead to potential system crashes. Even on modern flash storage, this attack degraded hardware performance over time.
Senior developer Gloria Zhao finalized the patch in Bitcoin Core Pull Request 32604. The fix passed 19 checks with no objections from other development team members, and the official bug patch, commit 2d59977, entered the master branch last week.
The patch addresses a problem that persisted through several previous attempts at resolution, extending back five years with multiple pull requests. Developers anticipate the fix will gain broad adoption as operators manually update their systems with the upcoming Bitcoin Core releases. According to the latest data, about 16% of known nodes are running version 29.0, which was released April 14.
Bitcoin Core software typically sees new versions every few months, with updates distributed as voluntary, manual downloads. The disk fill bug previously posed risks to network reliability and hardware, especially for operators using less expensive or aging storage solutions.
The widespread adoption of the patch will depend on node operators choosing to upgrade to the latest software. Older versions remain in use across the network, leaving some machines potentially exposed until those sites apply the fix.
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